The Pursuit of Freedom
by Tollpatsch
Summary: OC-centric. "I will become Pirate King!" Luffy shouts with such certainty and feeling that I have to believe him. There's something about him, about these people that make me want to lock them away in my cupboard, never to see light again. I want to protect them. I never knew that moving to Dawn Island would entail this. But then again, I will never know alot of things.
1. Bombshells Galore

**The Pursuit of Freedom**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I will never own One Piece. I only write this for leisure, so all products of my imagination are rightfully mine.  
**

* * *

**Chapter One: Bombshells galore**

**Part I: Unconditional Love**

_Love is patient,_

_Love is kind._

_I love you all,_

_but you left me_

_behind._

* * *

The flames burn brightly in the fireplace. She closes her eyes to bask in the warmth. Resting her head on the luxurious velvet armchair, she lets her mind wonder…

"So, which one?" A voice calls out softly.

Still entranced by the heat caressing her face, the girl sighs contently. _I love this_.

"Tia?" Still so softly, so gentle that it is almost sinister.

She reacts to her name, and she raises her head, a smile blossoming on her face.Her wide eyes shine with curiosity. Those eyes, so light in colour that if you plucked them out they could be diamonds. A pair of matching silver diamonds.

"Yes, Mama?"

Mama smiles behind her fan, and Tia knows she smiled from the way her light eyes _shined_…for there is no better word to describe the expressive qualities of their eyes, inherited by generation after generation ever since eight hundred years ago.

Her fan snaps shut with a graceful flick of the wrist. "Which one would you choose?"

Rouge painted lips slowly drawl out the fateful question. "To run away and live a coward's life, or to stand firm?"

The flames in the fireplace flicker, and then die.

"Do I live if I stand firm?" she asks solemnly.

A pause.

"No, Tia," Mama's voice quivers and her façade shatters like glass. Tears stream down her beautiful face. She wraps her shaking arms around her daughter. Her most precious, precious little girl.

"You die. You die a fool's death."

Flames suddenly leap up from outside, and everything is burning, burning, _burning_.

Only ashes remain.

* * *

The woman who stands in front of me is lying. I _know she is_.

It was an accident. Your—I mean, our family…

_Screw you!_

Pirates raided the ship you were on. There were no survivors. Every single last one of them…

_Liar!_

Even the servants…

_Stop it you bastard!_

Dead.

"Stop. Please…" I try to scream out, but I feel so angry that I can't seem to speak normally. I can't trust her. I can't trust anyone.

The Marines are liars. Pirates are scum. The World Government is just a crappy power hungry organisation of stupid goldfish people. Damn you all!

Damn this _world_.

"Tia?" She still has the _nerve_ to use the name. You traitor, you coward, you good-for-nothing.

I school my features. "Yes, Auntie Leto?" I want to grab her and shake until her brain rattles out. I want to scream and shout at her and make her tell me why, _why did you leave us and live when everyone else died?_

_You don't deserve it. And neither do I. _

The buzzing of her useless chattering stops and she stares at me with her _damned eyes_. They are the same colour as Mama's and mine and Uncle Rochan and my cousins. Who are all dead but she's breathing and she doesn't deserve it at all and I hate her I hate her I hate her. I hate her just as much as I hate myself.

"I left because…I—I was…" Leto stammers out, lies tangled with her tongue.

"You walked out on us when we needed you most. You just left and look what happened after!" I cut her off with a vengeance.

"They're_ dead_. And they will NEVER, EVER COME BACK!"

"_I hate you_."

Leto remains still. Unmoving. She just stands there by my bedside. I watch her eyes water, and I wait for her to cry, cry like weak Auntie Leto, always a lesser person than Asteria. Than _Mama._

She raises her hand against me, and my cheek burns. "You're getting carried away, Titania."

I am surprised. Who knew that she had the _balls_ to hit someone else?

Tears stream down her face, and she sniffles into her handkerchief. I retract my previous statement. Whilst dabbing at her eyes in a most _lady-like_ fashion, she kneels beside the bed.

"I had my reasons to leave, Titania," she speaks shakily, _still_ crying. "And I regret it. I really do!"

I look away from her, and I glare at the murky sky outside the circular window. I will not look at her ever again. I will refuse to breath the same air after this.

"Aria—I mean, Lady Asteria and…and everyone's death is a burden that I will bear for the rest of my wretched life."

"I will live with their blood on my hands." Leto says steadily, with a spark of determination.

"You are innocent and free from this. Titania, you will be fine. You are a survivor."

I still do not face her.

"I chose to run away and live a coward's life. Because I am scum, the worst of the worst. Because _I want to live_."

Still, I do not react.

"I want you to live as well!" She is outright sobbing now. All bravado vanishes, and Leto is a mess on the floor.

"Look at me, Titania, please—"

In a daring move, she pulls me to face her. Our faces are mirror images of each other: familial likeness, our eyes, yes, but what is most similar now is that we are both crying and crying and crying.

"Won't you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

* * *

"Fine." I sigh.

I heap my sixth serving of premium beef steak onto my plate.

Leto smiles. "Eat your veggies, Tia!" She dips her fancy quill in its little inkpot and continues to write flowery graceful letters, flowing onto the paper.

Apparently, she's writing to some friend in East Blue. And apparently, we're buddy-buddy now. Even I realise that it's stupid to keep hating your only family. I won't idolise her or anything, and I decided to keep our relationship passive and peaceful. She is Mama's sister after all. An estranged aunt.

I couldn't survive financially without her anyway. My hefty inheritance wouldn't be available until I am eighteen, a proper citizen. Oh the excitement.

I peer outside the window near my bedside as Leto scribbles out her heartfelt letter. The sky is still murky-looking outside.

My eyes nearly pop out when it _rippled_. "What in the name of—"

I hurriedly choke down the blasted greens to glue my face on the glass. "What is with this sky? What weather is this?"

"That's the sea, Tia," Leto says matter-of-factly.

I smile good-naturedly. "Ah, the sea? I see, the sea…"

" $ %$#)*? TELL ME THIS EARLIER!"

* * *

Leto pats my back reassuringly after my hysterical fit. I lie on the bed, helplessly tired.

"Why… are we… on a… boat, Leto?" I wheeze out.

She signs her name with a dramatic flourish, finishing her letter. "We're moving to East Blue, Tia! Isn't that exciting?" She giggles.

"East Blue? Ah, East Blue, the sea in the east? I see…"

* * *

I swallow the remaining water in the glass, as Leto had spilled some of it one me in her panic at seeing me going into shock. It's been bombshell after bombshell today, the worst day of my life.

Somehow, somewhere, by someone: My family died.

Somehow, somewhere, by someone: I manage to survive, even though I can't swim.

Somehow, somewhere in my grieving, rotten little heart, I found it in myself to forgive my estranged Aunt.

It's been a rough ride.

"So, what are we going to do when we get there?"

"Hm?"

"To East blue, you know?"

Leto taps her chin in thought. "First, we find our good friend. She runs a bar in the village."

"_Our_ good friend?"

"Aria and I, we met her during the social season. You know, soirees sometimes become so boring, right?"

I shudder at the memory of fat men with their heads in a bubble. "I understand your pain."

"And so while everyone was drunk off their cocktails, we ran off, had an adventure. And ta-da!" She throws her arms up dramatically with a large grin plastered on her face.

"We met Makino-chan!" Leto sings.

I stare blankly at her. "Leto, you know—"

"Isn't it such a wonderful encounter?" Her eyes sparkle in reminiscence. "If it was boy meets girl under the moonlight like in Jomeo and Ruliet! How romantic!"

"Yes, but—"

"Oh you think so? I do too!" She does a little twirl, exacerbating the little problem I was trying to convey to her. _They _were falling out.

"Leto—"

"Yes, Tia darling?" She grins shyly, playing with a lock of hair. "Oh no! I called you _darling_!" I think she is receding into a maniacal delusion. She needs therapy. _Heck_, _I _need therapy.

This is getting ridiculous.

"Leto, put your boobs back in your blouse! The buttons have popped off!"

* * *

I watch Leto fuss about our cabin. She's muttering some chant about threads and buttons and stitching. She looks exactly like Mama, though slightly younger and without the authoritative presence she had. Mama was the type of person who demanded attention and respect, and received it.

Leto, however…

I couldn't remember much about her when I was younger, just that she had walked out on us when we needed her on that day three years ago. She is a coward, and she is weak and stupid…

But she is family.

And family will stick together no matter what.

"Leto?" I say reluctantly. I have to swallow my pride.

She shoots a dazzlingly ditzy smile at me, and I try to shield my eyes from the blinding light. "…How do I say it?" I feel heat creeping up on my cheeks.

_Forget about your pride!_

"Before, you know, when I woke up…" I stare at a patch of the scarlet carpet floor, trying to unveil the secret of One Piece in the miniscule strands.

"I…was being unreasonable and I was really too angry and sad to think, so I think I heaped more blame onto you than was necessary…"

Leto brightens.

"So even though I still kind of disliked you for your…_desire_ to survive, it isn't your fault…" I trail off in thought, ignoring how her face morphs into a pained expression.

"Even though you're kind of ditzy and vulnerable…and wimpy, it's not really your fault…"

"I…apologise for going overboard," I say with surprising clarity as I kneel down onto the carpet next to her. I lower my head to the floor, as this is the proper way to ask for forgiveness, according to Mama.

Leto rises from her dejected, slumped position on the ground. "Tia! Raise your head! Ah, even though you're so harsh…please, get up!"

Before she starts to hyperventilate, I get up. She comes closer, and her hands hover above my shoulders, unsure. I nod my head, and I accept her embrace. I can feel her smile into my hair.

"I love you, Tia. I always will."

The voice is faint, like a passing breeze. I pretend not to notice her sniffling. Must have been my imagination.

* * *

We lie in the double bed in silence. The sea is an inky depth and room is completely engulfed in darkness.

"Tia, are you sleeping?"

"Either way, with _your _whispering, I would have been woken up."

"Haha, sorry."

After a couple of moments of silence, I turn to my left, completely facing her side. "I was wondering…"

"…If I was on the ship as well, why aren't I injured at all?"

Leto shifts and the bed creaks with her movement. "…You must have been lucky!"

I didn't miss the slight hesitation before her excuse. "Really?"

"Ah, yeah of course! By the way, your thirteenth birthday is coming up soon, isn't it?"

Smooth, Leto. Real smooth.

I play along, accepting how she refuses to talk. "Yeah, it's next week."

"Great! We can have a party with Makino-chan then!"

"We're arriving before my birthday? I mean, really? That fast?" I thought it would take longer to travel there. Seas are unpredictable, after all.

"You've been asleep for four days, you know."

"…I missed twenty meals," I mutter quickly.

"That was quick! And you counted five meals a day…" Leto laughs.

She has a nice laugh. It's gentle and warm and just speaks volumes of her personality.

"But…" She starts seriously. I listen attentively.

"We need to be careful, Tia. Currently, you are deemed dead and I am a missing person."

Great. This is just the start of my criminal activities. Next thing would be, oh I don't know, becoming a pirate and going on a wild chase for One piece?

That'll never happen.

"Of course we'll be free, since we're starting a new life."

Was I free before, when Mama and Papa and everyone was still with me? I was chained down by expectations and pressure and the nobles, but I was happy.

"You know, turning over a new leaf? Very...fresh."

I was happy. I truly was.

That night, we cry ourselves to sleep.

* * *

**PART II: New life**

_Find me a place,_

_Where those left behind go._

_And we shall live there_

_forever and ever._

* * *

"Makino-chwaaaan! You got my letter!"

"Yes Leto! I've missed you!"

Disregarding time and place, Leto has her heartfelt reunion on the wharf. I lift our three cases of luggage out with me. Looking, around, I take a deep breath of fresh air. So this is Foosha Village.

It's a nice place. The standard, sleepy little fishing village. The type of place where gossip travels fast, where everyone knows everyone else like everyone should. A place where the rare moments of excitement are when bandits come down from the mountains to wreck a small havoc.

"…And this Aria's daughter?" Makino notices me walking towards them.

"You're so strong, Tia-darling!" Leto cheerily waves me over. "Carrying everything for me!"

"Of course I'm strong. Who else will keep the bad men away? Ah, it's nice to meet you, Makino. Leto almost burned my ears off telling stories about you on the way here."

"Is that so? The pleasure's all mine, Tia." We exchange smiles. I can see why Mama and Leto love Makino so much. I like her already. She's just a really nice person.

"Oh no!" Leto panics, checking her pockets and crawling around on the ground madly.

"Are you looking for something?" I ask her.

"I forgot our money!" Leto cries. "What do I do?"

Did I mention that Leto brought her life savings in cash after smuggling me out of wherever I was?

"I'll get it!"

I place the suitcases down, damn it there were originally four, and I sprint to the ship preparing to leave. "Wait for a moment! I left something important in my cabin!" I scream.

"I SAID WAIT, YOU IMBECILES!"

* * *

I inhale Makino's cooking like oxygen. It is so_ good_.

"I'm sorry, Tia." Leto cries.

I keep chewing. I am still ticked off at her.

"I know I should have been more responsible…"

I refuse to look at her. "Makino, can I have another helping?"

Makino awkwardly takes the plate from me. She scoops another helping of her special knockout fried rice and chicken schnitzel. I wait in anticipation for the moment I can shove it (in a civilised way, of course) down my throat.

"But I was so happy that you started to talk to me, and, and…!"

I swallow. "Alright. Leto. I got the money back. Stop nagging me already," I grumble, miffed at the trouble I always seem to get in with Leto's airhead tendencies.

"Ah okay!" She finally feels comfortable enough to start eating her lunch. "Makino-chan this is amazing!"

"Why thank you."

Of course the food is superb. Why else would I be eating like I haven't eaten in my life?

"By the way, Tia-chan. You still have to eat the broccoli there, and those mushrooms, and the salad—"

"I get it!" Sometimes, Leto gets almost as annoying as Mama sometimes. Not that Mama is ever annoying, just that they are both such hassles to deal with.

"…and drink milk?" Leto asks unsurely.

I eye her ample chest, and then I look down at my flat plains. She's definitely a G-cup—if her secret is milk, then I'm drinking the village dry. A fire burns within me to realise this significant hurdle in life.

"This is the start of the battle!" I cry in determination. For womanly breasts!

"…T-tia-chan?"

"Would you like some milk after this, Tia?" Makino asks. She knows what I am on about. Makino understands my pain.

"Of course!"

* * *

"…and then, I saw two girls walking around the village at night. And the rest, is history," Makino sips from a mug of green tea.

"That's right, that's right!" Leto applauds the story.

It sounds vaguely normal from Makino's mouth: without the embellishments and omissions and faulty selective memory from Leto, it actually is quite…sweet.

"Aria was the cool, mysterious older sister. Leto was the cute little princess, weren't you?"

"Ahaha, to call me a princess is too nice of you…"

I don't think Makino was praising you as much as you think, Leto.

I tune out of most of their chattering. They keep leaping from subject to subject, stuff about the bar, how we're freeloaders, that Leto will definitely help out, etc.

I hop off the bar stool, catching both of their attention. "Can I go out?"

Leto and Makino exchange some sort of rapport. Leto ruffles my curly mop of hair, brown hair sticking up everywhere. "Sure, live a little, Tia-chan! Come back before sunset!"

As I walk out, I hear Leto call out. "Don't fall into the water!"

I know already. If I fall in, I would sink like an anchor.

* * *

**Part III: Change**

_Thy friendship makes us fresh_.

* * *

When we were getting closer to the island, I had seen this lovely cliff face. There was a small grassy clearing—a perfect place to relax. And so I staked my claim.

Walking through the forest now, I feel the relaxing peace of solitude creeping up on me. Though I have to climb up and up and up, I think it will be worth it when I get there.

I hear rustling behind me, and loud breathing. Turning around, I see a wild pig of humungous proportions salivating behind me.

Crap.

"AAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I run like the like wind, dust, sticks and leaves kicking up behind me. I run for my life.

Somehow I reach the clearing, and I pray to God, to Roger, to Whitebeard that the fat pig isn't about to make me its lunch . Looking behind me, the pig beast is still there.

But it's chewing on something already. A straw hat floats onto the grass.

Fuck. It's eating a human!

"Spit me out!" a muffled voice calls from inside the hairy jaw. "…but if you poop me out, that's fine too!"

Ew. Don't go there, half eaten person.

Since it is kind of my fault that this unlucky fellow met his demise, I should at least avenge him.

"Alright you filthy beast…" I mutter, spreading my feet apart and tensing.

Take this! "KARATE KICK OF JUSTICE!" I deliver a roundhouse kick, smashing its fat head into the ground.

It gulps down whoever is in its mouth because of the impact.

"Oh gosh I'm so sorry! I just indirectly killed someone!" I wail in despair. Will I go to hell now?

I wallow in self-pity. I hope Leto and Makino forgive me for my sins.

"**Gomu Gomu no….**" The voice shouts from the creature's belly, breaking me out of my thoughts.

So the poor guy is still alive? Sweet!

"**Pistol!**" The pig beast chokes and coughs up a furball—I mean, its lunch, I mean the person. It turns tail and runs back into the forest.

"Haha! That was dangerous!" I stare at the boy covered in saliva and gastric juices in front of me with a wary eye. Gross. He picks up the straw hat and plops it on his wet head.

"Excuse me, are you alright?" I venture cautiously. I mean, what if he went cuckoo crazy after a near death experience. It is best to tread carefully.

The boy grins (definitely crazy) and walks over to me. "I am." I try to ignore how weird he smells.

"But man, I should have cooked it before it ran away…I want meat."

He gets even closer. "So…who are—"

I interrupt him before he gets that disgusting slime stuff on me. "More importantly, you should wash yourself clean before any human to human interaction." I edge away slowly.

"Huh?"

"Go purify yourself! You smell like meat gone off!

* * *

"I'm Luffy. Who are you?" The boy sits down next to me after I made him wash himself. He still smells strange, so I take out my little bottle of rose perfume and I spray it on him.

"Hey!"

"Good. Now you smell like roses and barf."

He keeps staring at me with those wide black eyes, and I feel annoyed at his persistence. "I'm Tia," I find myself saying.

"Weird name."

"So is Luffy."

We sit in silence, listening to the waves crash against the rocks below. "That cloud…looks like beef steak," I murmur absentmindedly. The sun is beginning to set, and the clouds are warped into funny shapes.

"That one looks like meat."

"Beef steak _is_ meat."

"Then…that one's an alligator!"

"Ah! You're right! Good call, Luffy."

"Shishishi!"

Luffy grins, his face beaming at me. I smile back. It's been a long time since I talked with someone my age, and I've missed it. I've missed having friends.

Alright Tia! You can do this, now start up a conversation!

"Were you born here Luffy?"

"Yeah! But I haven't seen you before, so where did you come from?"

Wow. He's really tactless, that Luffy. "When a man and a woman love each other very much…" I trail off, waiting for him to get my innuendo.

He doesn't get it. Damn.

"You know what love is, right?" I ask disbelievingly.

Luffy pouts. "How rude! Of course I do. Love is meat."

I think about the chicken schnitzel I had two weeks ago. "You're actually kind of right."

"Well…to give you the vaguest and simplest explanation: I used to live in the Grand Line."

Luffy's eyes shine with such amazement it's like he reached enlightenment. "Grand Line?"

I watch him recede into an excited mess at the mention of the Grand Line. "Why are you so…enamoured with the Grand Line?"

"What's an enamoled?"

"It means something like…to be in love with. You know, meat?"

"Oh." I watch the gears slowly turning in his head as he processes my question.

Luffy gets this glint in his eye that makes me regret asking him in the first place. "Because I wanna be a pirate! I'll sail the Grand Line and have the coolest adventures! I'll find One Piece! I will be the one with the most freedom!"

"I will be the Pirate King!" He yells into the horizon, fists thrust up towards the heavens. He yells with such certainty and feeling that I am inclined to believe him unwaveringly.

So he's a dreamer. He wants to become a criminal to find something that may not exist. If I had not known any better, I would have laughed and thrown his dream in his face.

Mama had taught me better. No matter how ridiculous or stupid a dream can be, a dream is the semblance of one's humanity, whether it is evil or pure.

Never mock someone's dreams.

I couldn't do that to him. Because I have no dream right now.

"I believe you," I say encouragingly. "You can do it."

"Of course I can!"

He flops down onto the grass next to me, satisfied. "Tim, what do you want to do?"

Tim? Who's that?

"Who's Tim?" I ask him.

"You are."

"Don't re-christen me a new name, Lucy." I make sure to get his name wrong on purpose.

"Who's Lucy?"

This conversation is really pushing the boundaries of stupidity now. "Alright!" I concede. "I am Tia. Say it: Teeee-yaa."

"Teeya."

"Great. Good job, getting my nickname right."

"Nickname?" Luffy scratches his head. Things must be getting too complicated for him.

"Yes. My name's actually Titania."

"Wha—?"

"You should just stick with Tia."

"Tia!"

I lean back on my hands. Finally he got it right. I mean, I know two syllables are such a challenge, but, man Luffy, you just crossed the biggest hurdle in your life. Congratulations.

I watch the sun light up the sky in brilliant reds and yellows and pink as purples and blues slowly creep along, the night sky waiting to cast its shadow over the world. It's a beautiful, peaceful sunset.

Sunset. SUNSET. OH. SUNSET.

"_Come back before sunset!"_

"Ah!" I shoot up in surprise. "Makino and Leto are waiting for me! I've got to go!"

"You know Makino?" Luffy asks lazily from his sprawled position on the grass.

"Yup. See you around!"

"Later! NEW FRIEND!" Luffy yells after me as I break into a crazed run. I laugh out loud in response.

Family waiting for me at home. A new friend who I can spend time with outside.

I am light.

_Thy friendship make us fresh_.

* * *

**Hello everyone!**

**This is the bombshell after bombshell first chapter of "The Pursuit of Freedom." I'm trying to establish Tia and Leto's place in One Piece. This is like a pastiche, where the sequencing may be choppy…but it's on purpose, I swear.**

**I've tried to create likable (maybe) characters…but they ended up totally different to what I had planned. Tia was supposed to be all ladylike and amazing and kickass, but she turned out to be quite a bitch (maybe?). She is childish, impulsive, and generally bad-tempered because of Luffy and Leto…but she's a hypocrite as well because she stuffs things up just as much as they do. **

**Which I find hilarious. **

**But one of her good points is that she has a strong will, I think. Tia is kind of spoilt. She managed to survive (another backstory) while her family died, but **_**no**_** she is not alone! Leto is there to save the day and to take care of her, so not all is lost. Leto and Asteria (Aria). Well, I have this huge backstory for both of them. Leto has her reasons for walking out on the family.**

**I tried not to focus too much on the family death aspect because One Piece does not do angst. A little bit is acceptable, but any more and you go out of the happy part of shounen territory. **

**Reviews to express thoughts are much appreciated. Updates will be really irregular, sorry in advance. **

**If you do decide out of the goodness of your heart to give this story a chance, thank you. What were your favourite moments? Any questions? I'd be happy to answer!**

**With love,**

**Tollpatsch**


	2. The letter A

**Chapter 2: The letter A**

* * *

"This is the general layout of the table numbers…" Makino explains as she attempts to teach us how to serve the tables.

I watch Leto madly taking notes in her memo pad, extremely focused. She had promised Makino that she would help her out to rectify our shameless freeloading. I think freeloading isn't that bad. But Leto calls me 'shameless', so I make no comment.

"But sometimes you can just remember who has ordered what, because everyone knows everyone else here."

"I understand! Everyone knows everything here!"

"You _could_ say it that way." They laugh like the good friends they are, sharing some secret joke.

Whatever. I'll make up a secret joke with good old Luffs when I see him today.

Looking around, Party's Bar is empty in the wee hours of the morning. I think there is a certain charm about an empty bar, the remnants of past memories and good times still lingering about. They're like friendly ghosts, waiting for the next time the bar is filled with people of all sorts. And then, as all good times do come to an end, the bar empties.

And the cycle repeats.

I can see this in the worn marks on the wooden floors; the well-used tables and the well cared for bar top, still spotless as ever, the bar stools comfortable to lounge on. This is a nice bar, run by a nice lady in a nice little village in the nicest sea around.

Nice.

I sit myself down next to Leto, who is telling a story with a flurry of dramatic gestures. Makino is giggling madly, and she looks genuinely interested in what mundane gossip Leto has cooked up. On the other hand, if Leto talks about cool stuff like robots and dragons and fairies and mermaids and monsters I would be just as into what she says as Makino is.

Alas, 'tis not the case.

Leto keeps prattling on and on. "…And then, that Oberon, till the end of their days, he bought a bouquet of sunflowers every Thursday for Aria, and—"

For Mama? I'm the witness! Papa _did_ buy flowers for her every Thursday. The cheery yellow bouquet would sit on her vanity table all the time. It always looked a bit out of place compared to the extravagant arrangements we had on our dining table, the sitting room, the foyer…everywhere else in the house. I never asked why.

How romantic. Banish that thought! Three weeks with her, and I'm sounding like Leto already.

"…Because they first met on a Thursday. They got engaged on a Thursday, and they got married on a Thursday!" Leto squeals unbashedly, while Makino, ever the mature one, smiles acceptingly.

"I was born on a Thursday," I say casually, trying to integrate myself naturally into the conversation. Oh Tia, you sneaky little chap!

Leto wraps an arm around me in greeting. I lean my head on her shoulder, making her my personal rose-scented pillow. "Isn't that lovely?" Leto chuckles to me as Makino leaves to get our breakfasts. Oops. I should have helped her prepare the meals, because it is the chore that Leto fails miserably at.

Oh well. I slept in today.

Makino: sweet, angelic Makino. Leto had tried her hand at cooking in her feverish desire to prove herself useful at everyday tasks. Even after disappearing for three years, she had a housekeeper to take care of her, so she is still the sheltered princess.

Just like me. But I admit that I am sheltered while she had to learn the hard way.

Leto cooking was a disaster, and I had spent hours cleaning the stains off the floor, the stove…and the ceiling, as well as making Leto prostrate herself on the ground to ask for forgiveness for her stupidity. Makino, that angelic being (what is she doing on this sinful earth! Go back to heaven!) waved it off like nothing. She's such a good, capable person.

"Here's our breakfast today!" Makino comes back wheeling everything over on a cart.

Leto, despite her deceptively slim frame, eats quite a lot. I eat about six times what Leto eats, because I'm a growing girl. Apparently, the only reason I'm not overweight according to the doctor is that I lead an overactive life.

If scaling cliffs, highly strenuous mountain hiking (The third day I was here, Luffy left me in the forest. I was missing for three days and Leto went nuts at me) and excessive brawls with wild animals (tigers, pig beasts, Luffy) doesn't count as overactive, then I don't know what does.

I eat as fast as I can without looking like a barbarian. Eggs, bacon and bread rolls all become good old nutrients for my daytime activities.

"Tia, darling, can you eat your tomatoes, those mushrooms and the capsicum?" Leto harries.

I begrudgingly stab the vegetables and eat them slowly under Leto's hawk eyed watch. It's not that I don't _like_ vegetables, I just like other things better. Like meat.

I show her the empty plate. "Happy?"

"Good girl." She pats my head.

I try to wash the taste of the blasted greens away with my daily carton of milk.

"Thanks for the food!" I say to Makino, who is slowly eating her meal like a lady.

I jump off my seat, and I sling my backpack over my shoulder. Leto makes me take it with me every time I go out after my disappearing act—first aid, emergency food, a towel, water, money, a torch, a raincoat and all that jazz. Dusting off my red checked shorts, I prepare to leave.

Leto stops me because she wants to do up the matching ribbon around my white collar. I jog on the spot, impatient to leave. After a millennium, she _finally_ finishes.

"I'm going out!"

"See you later!" Makino calls out.

"Be safe!" Leto shouts after me.

Of course I'll be fine, Leto. Of course I will.

* * *

**A****dventure gone ****A****wry**

I arrive at the clearing, where Luffy is supposed to be waiting for me. He is laying face down, bum up towards the sky. A strange position, but the norm for a weirdo like Luffy. He sleeps in weird positions.

"Luffy, get up!" I kick his body, and he _bounces_. Weird.

His eyes open and he shoots up, saluting the empty space next to me. "G'morning! T-bone steak!"

I give him a taste of the elbow triangle of death—jabbed right into his gut. "It's Tia, you moron."

The idiot seems to wake up completely from my loving pat. "Haha!"

"…I got something good to show you! Let's go, Tia!" he grabs my hand, breaking into a run.

I grace him with my smile. Finally he got my name right after some mild coercion. "Alrighty, Oh Captain my Captain!"

He just grins happily.

As I follow Luffy, my eyes are drawn towards the specks of colour wedged between trees, between the cracks in rocky outcrops near the cliff edges. Little wildflowers, large blooms colour the landscape. It is spring after all, and nature sure knows it is.

I blame the conversation from this morning on my sudden feminine urge to pick a bouquet for Leto and Makino. Maybe I'll do it later.

We arrive at a large lake within the forest. It is a saltwater lake; I noticed a river flowing in from the ocean in this direction.

"We just…gotta…cross these…rocks…and—" he effortlessly leaps from rock to rock, nearing the deeper parts of the lake in its centre.

I jump half the distance, and he pulls something peculiar from under the rock.

"Look! A huge lizard fish thing!" Luffy shouts. He doesn't really need to; I'm like, three metres away.

I peer at the slimy thing in his hands. It has no visible eyes, and it's a very pale colour. I think this type of animal might be called an…an axolotl or something. I don't know and I don't care. But it _does_ look kind of cool.

"It looks pretty cool, like it's gonna sprout wings or something," I say to him.

"Careful, there, hero. It might bite," I joke.

Luffy laughs, and it seems that everything's going to go well without a hitch until the lizard fish suddenly goes all vicious and tries to sink its teeth into Luffy's shoulder. They struggle.

"Woah—Ah!"

Luffy takes a big step back, trying to save his new orange t-shirt from certain death…

"Hey—" I try to warn him.

There's no support for his foot, and Luffy loses his balance, falling into the deep, salty water. I swear the evil fish thing _smirks_ at me as it leaps back into the lake. I hope it drowns.

Wait. Fish don't drown in water. Damn it.

"Luffy! Hey man! Are you alright?" I shout, cautiously making my way to where he slipped. The water is really murky and dark and _crap I can't see him anywhere_.

There's no bubbles, nothing at all.

"Luffy, this isn't funny. Get out now!" I say nervously. I get down on my knees and

I peer into the dark depths.

"Hello? Luffy?"

He doesn't come up. _Ohmygodhesdrowning_.

I want to jump in, and drag his stupid ass out of the water all heroic-like, but I can't. I can't swim. I mean, I used to be able to but after—

_WhatamIdoingstopTHINKINGANDSAVEHIMALREADYYOUIDIOT! _

"Someone! Please help!" I shout into the empty forest. I think I'm tearing up now.

"PLEASE! SOMEONE! HELP ME!" I cry louder. Everything's getting blurry now and my heart sinks lower and lower as I am answered with silence.

"LUFFY'S DROWNING! SOMEONE!" I scream one last time. "Help me…" I mutter weakly.

What am I doing? Someone's drowning and I'm just standing around, like an idiot. DO SOMETHING, TIA. ANYTHING'S FINE.

_Tia, you will never be able to swim again._

_Darling, don't go near the water._

I'm sorry Mama, Leto. I've let you down again.

_Alright_.

I take a deep breath. I don't care if I die or if I'll sink. I'll save Luffy somehow. I cross myself.

I dive in after him. And I hold my breath as I sink like a stone, unable to move in any direction except down, down, down towards the darkness.

Everything fades into black.

* * *

Darkness. Annoying red light behind my eyelids. Muffled shouting. Someone pumping my chest.

Air!

I cough out water.

"Keep at it," someone says, their words muffled. They pull me up into a sitting position, steadying me as I keep coughing. The salty taste in my mouth is disgusting. As I regain a working conscious…I think I'm forgetting something.

Luffy!

I open my light eyes and I shake the person next to me. "Luffy! He—" I begin to panic but I see him at the edge of the lake, as a hugely inflated ball with a little straw hat on his head. He's spouting water like those marble fountains I had in the garden once upon a time. The orange shirt confirms that it's Luffy. He's safe. Thank whatever divine being is out there.

My eyes dart around, checking the surroundings. We're still near the lake, but safely at the edge. Thank God. Thank Roger. Thank _God._

"Are you alright?" my saviour asks. He pats my back, and I remember that I have to breathe.

In. Out. Repeat. Again.

"Y-yeah. Thanks," I wheeze out shakily, eyes wide. Luffy almost died. My _friend_ almost died, someone who weaselled themselves in my rotten heart almost _died_ and I couldn't do anything. Nothing.

I throw my arms around my saviour in gratitude. "Thank you. _Thank you _so much_. I love you thank you thank you thank you!_"

"Um. That's alright," they mutter awkwardly. I raise my head as he talks and I stare at him, transfixed. On his freckles.

Hm. Freckles.

He refuses to look at me straight on—probably because I'm being so touchy feely, and probably because my staring is freaking him out. He scratches his head slowly.

"Er—"

"Who are you? Why did you save us? _How _did you—" I interrogate him, slightly suspicious of this freckled stranger.

He seems a bit older than I am, maybe a couple of years. If it was a fight, I don't think I could take him on…

"Woah woah! Easy with the questions!" he leans away from me, looking uncomfortable. Is he being cautious? Or is he getting ready to escape?

I move closer to him to try to intimidate him further. He twitches underneath me.

"Luffy's my brother, and I was close by…so when I heard screaming I came…and I can swim…so I saved…you both?"

"And…um…as much as I like girls throwing themselves at me, could you, um…"he trails off, looking anywhere but me.

Instead, I get right into his face. Brother? They don't look alike at all…but if they weren't close, then he wouldn't have saved us…

I eye him suspiciously, doubtful. A few moments pass as I make a quick judgement.

"Alright! I trust you, for now," I finally get off him, and I hear him sigh in relief. I smile to myself. Finally, I've intimidated someone with the 'getting up close and personal' tactic. It never worked on Luffy, but he's a special case. Maybe I'm getting somewhere now.

"Sorry about that before," I say cheerfully, slapping him on the back a tad harder than needed. He stumbles a bit in surprise as we walk to where Luffy is _still _spouting water like a useless fountain. His ridiculous belly is smaller than before.

"And thanks for saving me and this moron, your…brother. I owe you one."

"No worries."

"I'll save your life in return," I promise, grinning at his antsy demeanour. How fun it is to tease him.

"…Sure you will."

We stop next to Luffy, and a wicked idea springs to my mind. Raising my wet hiking boot (I should dry them before I get trench foot or something) in the air, I stomp on his protruding belly. Hard.

"Oof!" he gurgles.

"Luffy, just spit it all out and save us the time, you useless! Clumsy! Imbecile!" I punctuate each insult with an unforgiving stomp. "Be glad it isn't your _balls_ I'm stomping on, idiot! Don't worry me like _that_. Ever. Again. Got it?"

Luffy's little fountain of saltwater gets slightly bigger. "Hurry up and get it out," I say impatiently, still squashing his belly. "I'm dripping wet here and I want to go and dry myself off."

I smirk evilly. "Or do you _really_ want me to make your_ tender spot sore_?" I press down harder with my boot. Luffy spits out water at a much faster rate.

I think the guy next to me choked at my threat. "That would hurt…" I hear him mutter under his breath. I smile.

This is going to be _fun_.

* * *

**A****ce**

"Ah! I thought I was going to die…" Luffy sighs, deflated. He rests on his back for a second before he realises something. "And you were really mean, Tia! Don't go for a man's _gold_ like that, you can't joke about something that important."

I wave my hand in a placating manner as I take my socks off. "Whatever." Off goes my shorts, my shirt and I'm left standing in my underwear. Now all I have to do is wait for it to dry on the sun-heated boulders…

"Don't 'whatever' me! It's important!" Luffy grumbles. He throws me his shirt, trying to peg me in the face. Obviously, he fails due to my awesome catching skills.

Alright, sorry Luffy my man. As an apology, I'll put your shirt in the most sunlight so it'll dry faster. But I won't say sorry. Because I'm not.

The other guy in the yellow shirt walks up to Luffy…buttons not done up at all. Not that I mind if he wears it open. Sometimes, you just need to treat yourself to a well-built, manly body to make yourself feel better.

"Ace!" Luffy…squeals. So Mr Nice Guy's name is Ace. Hm.

Ace does a double take as I jump off the large rock, straddling the line between decency and indecency. "Aren't normal girls supposed to be…shy about parading about in their underwear?" he asks me.

I shrug. "I'm not normal. But it makes you get all _wimpy_ at seeing a girl without clothes on, I can put on my raincoat…" I challenge.

Mr Well-buil—_Ace_ frowns. "I don't care either way." Great, he's got some serious issues there.

Luffy rests his arm on my shoulder. Excuse me, Luffy, but _I _rest on _you_, not the other way around. I'll let this slide, just this once. "Ace, this is Tia! She lives with her Auntie and Makino."

I give him a two-fingered salute. "Nice to meet you, Ace."

He gets all Mr Good manners on me, and bows his head. "I'm Ace, Luffy's brother. Please take care of me."

"Please take care of me as well," I incline my head in respect—he does have really good etiquette, which is unexpected. Unlike a certain weirdo brother.

The refined moment is shattered when Luffy insults me. "Be careful, Ace. Tia's mean, like that scary crocodile from the other day. She punches hard."

Ace, the ever-smarter brother (I still kind of don't believe it. I mean, they act the same way but they don't look alike at all!) doesn't say anything in return. He just nods.

"Her kicks hurt too—Owie!" I cut Luffy off and put him into a headlock.

"Say any more and I will _end_ you," I threaten him, jokingly of course. I think back to before, and I get distracted thinking about when Luffy was inflated like a whoopee cushion. How the hell did he do that? I let him go.

"Why were you so big when you were filled with water before?"

"Ah, that?" Luffy _pulls_ his cheek and it _stretches_. What the hell is this? A joke?

"I ate a devil fruit! So I'm a rubber man!"

To check it out for myself, I pull on his cheeks. They do have a rubbery, elastic feel to them. Then I slap his face _hard_, repeatedly, to watch his face pop back into place.

"Hey!" Luffy protests against the abuse. "Ugly, mean Tia…" he mumbles. I pause.

What abomination did he just call me? You shitty piece of rubber.

"You little—" I spit out, ready to sock him in the face. Ace intervenes, the mature sibling, holding me back as Luffy makes mocking faces. He sticks his tongue out at me, pulling the skin under his eye down and down and _down_.

That's. IT. I lunge viciously.

"Steady there!" Ace holds me back, only with a little difficulty as I struggle against his strength. He's way stronger than I am. Damn it. You got lucky this time, stupid rubber man.

"Just hide behind Ace like the sissy you are! You _girl_!" I hiss.

"Bleugh! Stupid! IIIIddiooooooot!" I wonder who said _that_.

"Just…let me…Ace! Let me go!" I yell, pushed to the limits of irritation. "You are so gonna _get it_, LUFFY!"

"Uuuugggllllyyyy!"

"Let me punch him just this once!"

* * *

I tear the cooked meat off the bone with my teeth daintily, _almost _over my hissy fit. As the last part of my petty revenge, I sit next to Ace instead of him. I also 'accidentally' stomp on a sneaky rubber hand when it tries to take my lunch.

We're all evenly matched in our consumption of food. We literally inhale the buffalo that Ace had taken down previously in no time at all. And we still have room for more.

"So, Ace, if you and Luffy are brothers…" I start saying after I swallow a finishing gulp of water, totally intending to inflict one last jab at Luffy before forgiving him.

"…then Luffy sure got the short end of the DNA stick, right?" I know that Luffy won't understand this implication, so I continue to explain. But Luffy would react at the mentioning of his name, at least.

"I mean, the brains, the looks, the strength…you trump him in _everything_! I think you're _closer to becoming Pirate King_, right?" I smirk evilly.

Ace preens a little at my praise. Of course he should, having a wonderful, beautiful girl throwing compliments at him would stroke his male ego. "Hm, maybe I am going to find One Piece before you, Luffy," he teases his brother, understanding what I am trying to do.

"Hey!' Luffy jumps up, hands on his hips. He sticks out his bare skinny chest and points at us.

"No, I'm gonna be Pirate King! Definitely! Not even Gol. D. Roger's son will beat me!" he proclaims obnoxiously.

I try to hide my smug look. That's right, get annoyed Luffy. Have a taste of just how annoying you are.

Wait. I think I missed something really important. I put Luffy's sentence on replay.

_I'm gonna be Pirate King!_

Not that. Fast forward!

_Not even Gol. D. Roger's son will beat me!_

Not even Gol.D. Roger's son.

Son.

The flippin' Pirate King's son? What? Wait, _what?_

I stare at Ace, shocked. His expression mirrors my own, mouth opening and closing like a stunned fish. Luffy scratches his face sheepishly.

"Oops. That's supposed to be a secret," he laughs.

"What? So you're…" I choke out. Oh. My. Roger. They're both devil spawns! But didn't the Pirate King (the biggest criminal in the world!) die before Luffy was born?

"Me and Ace aren't blood related," Luffy elaborates for my benefit, a guilty look plastered on his face.

"Don't tell anyone—" he says, before Ace suddenly leaps onto him, suddenly morphing into Mr Angry.

"LUFFY!" Ace screams at him, very, _very_ Mr Angry. I just sit there, wide-eyed and not bothering to move. I know that Ace could cream me without trying.

They brawl, kicking up dust and throwing punches everywhere. I sigh, trying to organise my thoughts. I think I'll go pick some flowers or something.

Leto said her favourite flowers are pink lilies. And Makino's are…I dunno. I'll think up something. I think I saw some nice wildflowers on the way here. Leaving the…brothers to their own devices, I take my things and leave them to sort out their problems themselves.

I don't want to pick flowers in my underwear. That's…not cool. At all.

This normal shit is getting into some _serious_ shit.

* * *

"Queen Tia has descended!" I announce dramatically. No reaction. I pout.

The brothers are sitting with some distance between them at the clearing on the cliff. The sun is setting, and I feel a sense of déjà vu as I sit between Luffy and Ace. Sunset.

They don't react to my arrival. I don't take being ignored very well, you know.

Putting my wonderfully large bouquet of flowers down behind me, I sling my arms around both of them. "Are you still fighting?" I ask, peering at their faces. Silence.

Luffy looks like he died and came back to life. Twice. And Ace just looks a little roughed up. The victor is eminent. I feel slightly bad for Luffy, who got his ass handed to him. Just a tad of empathy. A little_ tiny_ bit.

"Come on, guys!" I prod gently. Still silence.

Tsk. _Boys._

I give both of them a bear hug, an affectionate noogie and a big sloppy wet kiss on the cheek to direct their annoyance onto me. Diversionary tactic!

"Hey!" Ace fusses and becomes Mr Embarrassed and Mrs Annoyed's lovechild.

"Eeeeeew!" Luffy, to my satisfaction, becomes irritated and grossed out and wipes his cheek madly. Rude. You never wipe a kiss off like that, what if you hurt a girl's feelings? But, it's not like I care if he wipes it off. What_ever_.

"What was that for, Tia!" he moans in agitation.

"If you guys don't make up and start spreading the love around I'll do it again and again until you do," I menace them.

They immediately make peace.

* * *

When I return back home, I separate the big bunch of flowers into two bouquets and I shove them into Makino and Leto's arms.

"Thank you, Tia, they're beautiful," Makino accepts my work of art gracefully, taking a vase out to display them.

Leto, on the other hand, tears up and sobs all over me. "Aw, my favourite flowers…Darling, I love you so much!"

I gently push her off me, slightly disgruntled at the affection oozing out of her. "Don't get all sappy on me, it's embarrassing. It's only cool when _I _get sappy on other people."

"I'm gonna take a bath. A long one, because I almost drowned today," I announce before trudging upstairs. I think Leto faints, because I hear a loud thump on the floor as I leave.

I dump my stuff onto the floor, and get out an old pink and white pinstriped dress. Ah, spring clothing—always so fresh and vibrant!

Sinking into the warm water in relief, I think about Mama and Papa and everyone who decided to die before me. I think about my life now, with Leto. I think about just how kind Makino and Leto are, and my black, rotten heart.

These quiet moments to myself always force me to reflect and are always such a downer.

I think of Luffy and Ace. And I smile.

* * *

When we were getting ready to leave, Ace was very, very quiet. I almost didn't notice, because Luffy was being as noisy as ever, singing some mountain hiking song and waving a stick around in his hand, parading around in front of us. Acting ignorant.

I examined every nuance in Ace's expression, his body language, and I thought back onto all the interaction I've had with him in this one bloody long day.

Aha.

"Is this about being the son of the late Pirate King, Ace?" I questioned him quietly.

He flinched, and he nodded, gaze downcast. I had the oddest tug in my thoughts that I had to say something ingenious about it to make him back into the normal Ace. I mean, if it was his stigma—

I see. "It doesn't matter to me, Ace," I scoff at him. I meet his unsure gaze confidently.

"The only think you have in common with that guy is your Deoxyribonucleic acid. And maybe the last name, but you took your mother's right?"

He nods, but still remained eerily quiet.

"And you're fine like this. You're fine just the way you are. You're _you_. Old man Roger is _Roger_. Different people, just somehow related," I babbled on, trying my best to reassure him.

He strained a smile, but said nothing.

"I like you, Ace. You're pretty cool, you know. _Much_ cooler than Luffy—"

"Hey!"

"…And I know you're gonna do great things, maybe even surpassing Roger. How about that, man?" I nudged him playfully as a grin broke out on his face.

"I'll live a life as the freest pirate on the seas. A life of no regrets," he says whilst smiling.

Phew. Finally broke the stigma.

But like always, Luffy had the last say. "But I'm still going to be Pirate King before you, even with your head start, Ace!"

"Never, Luffy!"

We all laughed rowdily.

* * *

Finishing up my amazingly relaxing bath, I rub olive oil into my dark brown curls. It still feels weird, having short hair. After I woke up on that ship with Leto I had asked her to cut my hair off, as a symbol of my loss and my new life. And it did feel liberating, and really easy to take care of. I'll get used to it in time, I think.

I pat cocoa butter into my skin as a moisturiser (because dry scaly legs are just…no). Even now, I'm still as vain as ever. I still want to look nice and pretty and desirable like a girl on the verge of puberty. Because I am. A girl in the verge of puberty.

I make sure my striped dress looks acceptable on me, and I go downstairs to help Makino with dinner.

Leto hounds me as soon as she sees me emerge. "What's this business about almost drowning, Tia?"

"Luffy fell in a lake. I jumped in and almost died," I give her the briefest explanation as possible while washing my hands in the kitchen sink. Leto doesn't venture past the doorway, because of last time's unfortunate mishap in the kitchen.

"Here's the vegetables," Makino passes the washed little bastards over to me as she guts a fish professionally. I wince as the knife slides through the flesh, slightly put off with all its guts spilling out.

"Thanks."

Getting another knife out, I start on my task of cutting the stupid veggies. Leto is still standing at the doorway, a worried look on her face. "And then? How did you survive? Did Luffy save you?"

"No, his brother, Ace did. Luffy wouldn't be able to, because he ate a Devil fruit as well."

"Ah, I see. But be careful, okay? Tia, please, don't worry me like that," her voice sounds pleading.

"…I understand. I'm sorry, Leto."

Makino and Leto exchange a look, and seem to have a meaningful conversation, arriving to the same conclusion. I still don't understand how they do it.

"You met Ace, Tia?" Makino asks casually, as Leto relaxes herself against the doorframe.

"Yes, I did. He saved Luffy and I from our stupidity," I comment, slowly slicing away with the knife. This is quite hard to do. I admire all cooks out there. The dexterity of their hands must be amazing.

Makino giggles. "I'm sure he'll look out for both of you from now on." Leto laughs in response.

I finally finish up my task, and I give the blasted greens to Makino, wiping my hands on my red apron.

Makino motions me over, and I take out Leto's memo to take notes. "So, when you pan fry fish, you should put the heat up to about this level of heat…"

That night, as I did my before-sleep stretches, I was haunted by visions of dancing broccoli and fish princesses. I dreamt of their death in the hands of Mr Evil Pan and Mrs Stove Heat.

* * *

**A****djustment**

I wake up with Leto and Makino leaning over me. "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I scream.

"KYAAAAAAAAA!" Leto squeals. Hey now, _I'm_ the one that's supposed to be surprised here.

Makino pats my bedhead good-naturedly. "Happy thirteenth birthday, Tia! I have a huge birthday feast for you tonight."

"Ah, thanks Makino, I'm looking forward to it!" I brighten. Food and Makino, always raising my spirits.

"Aw, Makino-chan! I wanted to say it first…" Leto pouts, sulking. "Anyway, Happy birthday, darling. Ask your friends to come over for dinner tonight, okay? I want to meet them!"

I grin. "Of course!"

After they leave my room, I jump of bed, and start on my morning stretches. The split, the bridge, touch your head on your knees, touch your toes…that sort of thing. It's to prepare myself for my active day, so that I don't accidentally tear a muscle after my long period of recuperation after—no, don't think about it. Don't think about _them_.

Not now, not today.

Slipping on my new navy shorts and my brand new white silk shirt, I feel a year older. As I tie the white ribbon around my neck, I anticipate the excitement of today.

It's always exciting with Luffy. We go on huge adventures in the forest, chase wild animals and almost die. And now Ace is going to save us from now on. I grin, and I walk out of Party's bar in high spirits.

"I'm going out now!" I call out enthusiastically.

"Bye, Tia!"

"Be safe, darling!"

* * *

I fan myself with my hand, trying to cool myself down. It's getting warmer and warmer as the days go on.

"Hurry up, Tia, Luffy!" Ace badgers us from the top of the mountain. Luffy and I are trudging up the steep incline, both unwilling to go faster than a slow slog.

Luffy sticks tongue out, panting like a dog. "Thirsty…" he whines. I ignore him, because he drank all the water in my bottle when I foolishly shared my bottle with him a few minutes before.

Apparently, the lake on the top of the mountain has the best fish and clams and seafood goodness because no one gathers it up because it is so high up, according to Ace. Well, if it weren't so bloody hot and tiring to climb this stupid mountain, then I would have made it effortlessly. And Ace is carrying all the equipment by himself, sans an empty tank to store the catch, which is strapped onto Luffy's back.

I am carrying nothing except for my backpack. Why am I so weak and crap at everything? I eye Ace's faraway figure jealously. I grit my teeth.

Alright.

Grabbing Luffy, and slinging him over my shoulder, tank and all, I break into a crazed run up the mountain. He limply hangs there, still moaning about food and water and whatever.

"We're COOOOOMMMMIIINNNGGGGGG!" I yell, legs pumping as fast as I can and I can feel the wind rush past my face.

For the first time in my life, I run just for the sake of running. And I feel exhilarated.

* * *

That was not a good choice.

I rest in the shade, completely burned out of energy from that reckless climb. Luffy, however, stands over me, laughing his head off. Of course he is all smiles because _I_ did the climbing for him. Argh! That was one of the stupidest things I've ever done in my life! And to put the cherry on top of the horrible sundae, it's my birthday.

"Thanks, Tia!" Luffy tries to ruffle my hair like I do to him, but fails and just hits me on the crown of my head with a rubber hand. Ouch.

But I'm too fatigued to answer, so I just lie there on my back, and I listen to the sounds of Ace and Luffy splashing around having fun. Without me.

Screw being tired. I want to catch me some clams.

With maximum effort, I pull myself up slowly. I plod over to the rocks where they're both knee deep in the water. The brothers are spraying each other with water instead of gathering seafood like we're supposed to.

"Tiiiaaaaaaa!"

"You alright, Tia?" Ace asks, being Mr Concerned.

"Yup. No thanks to Luffy. Or you."

I unlace my boots, making sure to tuck my socks in the leather so some mountain animal won't run off with them. I place the shoes next to Luffy's sandals.

I sigh in happiness as I dip my feet into the water. Ah, even though the water is kind of sapping my strength, a little doesn't really matter. I kick my feet into the air, purposely showering them both with water.

"Today's weather is going to be rainy!" I snicker at their drenched forms. They give me an unimpressed stare, and we burst out guffawing.

"Today, I predict a natural disaster…" Ace grins, and I realise that something bad is going to happen to me. Oh no, not what I think it is…

The troublesome pair telepathically exchange a malicious plot against me. They advance towards me step by step.

"TSUUNAAMMIII!" they holler simultaneously.

I am met head on with a huge wave of saltwater.

Aw crap.

* * *

I met the 'crazy woman' Dadan for the first time in my life. We had hauled our fishy prizes back to Mount Colubo, where Luffy and Ace live with Dadan, but they only come back occasionally to make sure that they're still alive and kicking. So, succumbing to my inner stalker, I followed (openly stalked) the pair back to the wooden hut they lived in (sometimes).

The large woman gives me a suspicious look, warning me not to cause any trouble. I shoot her my most innocent look, but it invites even more suspicion.

"Hi Dadan! I'm Tia!" I inject as much sweetness in my voice as I can.

Dadan mainly ignores me, and flips through a newspaper. And that was our exciting confrontation.

Then, Luffy and Ace came out with some of the haul, intending for me to give it to Makino. Instead, I pull them along with me as a pleasant surprise (Luffy had celebrated about having good food, and Dadan socked him good, offended). Ace just went with the flow.

Which leads me to my dreaded moment where the brothers met the feared demon woman: Leto.

She strikes fear into their faces (mainly Ace), as she coos and fusses over the boys. This time, Luffy sits and smilesm going with the flow while Ace looks highly stressed as Leto gets into his and Luffy's faces. Unbearable woman, _I_ for one would _never_ make someone uncomfortable deliberately.

"Sweetie-pies, I'm Leto, Tia-chan's Auntie! And you are _so_ cute! You must be Ace the hero who saved my darling! And this adorable dear here with the widdle scar under his eye is the lovely Luffy!" Leto speaks in an abominably sweet voice that you normally reserve for babies and animals.

Ace accepts all of Leto's rambling like a true gentleman, without any protest. I commend him for that. Luffy, however…

"Me and Ace aren't cute. We're men. We're gonna become pirates!" Luffy states while gorging himself on the Makino's amazing feast. But Leto is not deterred.

"Pirates?" Leto gasps, clasping her hands together. She gets _that_ glint in her light eyes and I suppress a groan.

"How romantic!" she gushes, giving Makino _the look_. "Makino, _that _pirate, remember? The one from five years ago that would always come back to visit—" Leto cuts herself off from her rant when Makino gives her _that look_ and they reach a rapport.

Luffy can't keep his mouth shut. "You mean—" I sense possible incoming embarrassment on Makino's side, and I shove a meaty steak in his mouth to shut him up just as Ace thrusts a whole chicken in his face.

I hear Ace mutter "Safe!" and we high-five. Great teamwork, man.

Luffy swallows all the meat down his rubber throat. "Being a pirate is a man's romance!" he proclaims loudly, before downing a glass of orange juice. A pirate indeed, drinking juice.

He gets all fired up, a wondrous look on his face and I think back to that day on the cliff when he told me about his dream to find One Piece.

"To sail on the seas, and become as free as the wind! Go on big adventures! To find One Piece and become the Pirate King! That's a man's romance! Freedom!" he declares proudly.

I smile, appreciating his amazing dream. And then the moment is ruined when I see Leto drink up every word, her eyes glistening as she throws herself in her imaginary lala land.

"This passion! This feeling! This ideal! Ah, I'm being overwhelmed!" Leto announces, all etiquette forgotten as she stands on her chair in her in her delusionary state.

Makino shakes her head. "Oh, Leto, I shouldn't have served you those shots of whisky…" she says quietly.

"THIS. IS. _YOUTH_!"

Oh _God_.

I try to make eye contact to my partner in suffering, because he's been really quiet now. He sits opposite me, and I nudge his leg with my foot. No reaction.

Is he tired? Is that why Ace's lying face down in his food? I mean, Luffy's still eating like nothing's wrong so...but in that position he can't breathe. And he's not moving. I sit up straight in panic, choking on my food.

"OHMYGOD! ACE IS DYING!"

* * *

I learnt that Ace is a narcoleptic the hard way. I think I lost about a decade of my lifespan panicking over that incident. Now my image of him being the extremely reliable, responsible, I'll-save-your-ass-when-the-going-gets-tough type guy is shattered.

What am I going to do when I need someone to save me?

Damn it. Now I have to depend on myself.

"That was a nasty birthday surprise," I comment, punching Ace in the shoulder. He doesn't even flinch.

"It's your birthday?" Ace munches nonchalantly on a huge slice of cake. My birthday cake.

"Uh-huh."

"Well, Happy birthday Tia."

"Thanks."

Luffy is still continuing his attack on the meat. "HrappbirshdayShtia!" He presents me with the divine view of half chewed steak.

"Thanks, Luffy. And please, don't talk when you're eating."

Today, Leto doesn't hound me on eating vegetables because it's my _birthday_. I wish everyday were my birthday.

"Alright everyone!" Leto (Drunk? Not Drunk?) yells, waving her knife in the air.

"Who wants to hear cool stories about the Grand Line!"

Cool stories? I'm so in.

Luffy and Ace seem to have the same idea as I do, and we all focus our attention on Leto, anticipating what she has to say.

"Legend has it…that up in the skies of the Grand Line are floating islands filled with gold!" She whispers excitedly.

In the flipping _sky? _You mean,_ heaven?_

Impossible. Impossible awesome. Just think about it—a city of gold in the sky the infinite possibilities, the adventure, and the freedom. I sigh wistfully, drinking up every word she says eagerly because I could never go there. All I can have are these legends that Leto whips up from her brain with a tiny seed of truth in them.

But Luffy and Ace are going to find out.

'They're going to become pirates, and experience this for themselves…' a little voice whispers in my mind. I frown.

_They're going to leave, and never come back. Just like everyone else. They won't care about someone like you anymore. They'll have a grand adventure and you'll stay here like the cowardly useless person you are, wasting away—_

I squash the train of thought immediately, not liking the destination it is heading. I glance at the brothers, who are listening with rapt attention to Leto's tales.

"…but there are dangerous places too, you know, dears—I'll let you in on a few things you need to be careful of…"

"What are they?" Luffy breathes out, in a trance.

"Beware of the ghost ships in the Florian triangle! Beware of the evil lurking in the darkness…beware of darkness because it _swallows_ everything in its wake and if you ever come across the _darkness_, Ace, Luffy, my dearies you absolutely must…definitely…_run_…"

Leto, I think the whisky is getting to you.

"…It's definitely there on the Grand Line, the most dangerous sea of all!"

"What else can you tell us about this sea?" Ace asks, pragmatic as always. I steal Luffy's orange juice from him, eliciting a small protest. Yum, Makino's special orange juice.

"Dearies, everything is dangerous…" she pauses, and looks up at the ceiling, examining it as if the secrets of the world were written there.

"There is no logic on the Grand Line, I have to say."

Leto leans in, her silvery eyes darkening to a grey shade. "You need to throw it all reason away, you little pirates."

"Shishishi!" Luffy laughs, obviously pleased he can do whatever he wants once he…leaves.

Ace ponders on Leto's drunken ramblings, turning the statement over and over in his head. "Anything else?"

"Haha! Are there islands made of meat?"

"Hum…Luffy dearie…I don't know about that, but there's an island called Whole Cake Island!"

"Whole Cake?" I ask in wonder, imagining the tasty place. Ah, a girl's fantasies of a candy cane house could really exist!

"…and there are islands that rain _lightning_—how exciting, isn't it? There are whole countries of giants, of _samurai_ swordsmen! And don't forget about the legend of fairies—I mean, the legend of _mermaids_…they exist you know, those beautiful creatures of the sea…"

"How wonderful…" I sigh.

"Tia darling, if you always look so amazed you should go see for yourself!"

I laugh, airily waving my hand to dismiss it preposterous idea. "Haha, no way…I could never…" I start, trailing off unsurely.

But I know I could never deny the yearning look I had whenever Luffy or Ace or Leto talked about adventure and freedom and wondrous places. Of the experiences of a lifetime.

Especially when they talk about leaving the island. Leaving me behind.

**A****lone**

* * *

**Author's Note**

**Jumbo chapter! This took ages to write! Man. **

**Is it still T-rated if there's mild swearing (it's inside Tia's brain…she doesn't swear out loud because she's classy…maybe not.) and mild innuendos? Anyway, I keep trying to tame Tia into this cute little princess character and she goes HELL NO on me and turns into a sadistic, mean (b-word adjective) girl.**

**Hopefully, you can see how Tia's changing, like how open she's becoming under the influence of friendship! And the underlying problems…ah, youth! I think there will be one more chapter, and then the plotline will finally begin! **

**Favourite part of this chapter, if there is any? What do you think of Tia and Leto? Please leave a review if you feel like it. **

**With love,**

**Tollpatsch.**

**P.S I kept getting an ache in my heart when I wrote about Ace. (cries)**


End file.
